Chapter Twenty-Eight
When he first saw Riley’s RV coming back up the driveway through the kitchen window, Brent thought for a moment that he was hallucinating.
It took him about three seconds to decide that he wasn’t, and that even if he was, he’d only look like an idiot in front of a few stray birds when he went outside. Brent rushed to the front door, throwing it open and running out to where Riley was pulling up, barely stopping himself from running straight into the side of the RV.
He stood at the driver’s-side door like a puppy waiting eagerly to be told he was a good boy.
He’d wished all morning for a second chance, wished he’d had the guts to say something to Riley before he left, that he’d at leastaskedRiley to stay and let him make up his own mind.
Riley opened the door and jumped out, his feet hitting the ground with a thud.
Before Brent could say anything, Riley pounced on him. Both of Riley’s hands came up to frame his face, holding him in place while he forced his way into Brent’s mouth, his lips insistent, hungry against Brent’s own.
Relief washed over Brent, the knot in his stomach easing off, replaced with the warm glow of arousal, the tight, happy feeling of hope.
It was kind of hard to misread being kissed like you were the most important thing in the universe.
Brent had hardly realized Riley knew how to kiss like that.
“I forgot to do that before I left,” Riley said, his lips brushing against Brent’s as they moved. “Had to come back for it.”
Brent licked his kiss-swollen lips, then cleared his throat. “Did you forget anything else?”
Riley grinned at him. “This, too,” he said, darting in and pecking Brent on the lips again. “And this.”
This time, he turned them both around, pressing Brent’s back against the RV with the entire weight of his body, pinning Brent in place.
Brent hummed into the kiss, his heart clenching at the softness of it, at everything it said without needing to speak a word.
“I also forgot to ask you to clear a drawer out for me.” Riley cleared his throat. “I already have my own key, so that’s not a problem. I can just move straight in.”
“You’re moving in?” Brent asked, raising an eyebrow.
Not that he was about to object. The idea of not having to live in an empty house sounded amazing.
“Yes,” Riley said. “If that’s okay. If you… if you want me to stay?”
Brent bit his lip, tears welling up in his eyes. Of course he wanted Riley to stay. He’dalwayswanted Riley to stay.
“I love you,” Riley added. “I’ve always loved you. I want to build a home in your heart and live there. It’s the only place I’ve ever wanted to be.”
“Riley, I…”
“And you have thirty-seven freckles across your nose and cheeks,” he said. “But more in summer, less in winter. I haven’t counted the ones on your back, but I’d like to. If you’ll have me.”
Brent stared at Riley, struck by how obviously he meant that.
Riley had counted. He’d told Brent that someone would love him enough to count his freckles one day, and it had turned out to be true.
That was…
It was definitely something.
The wordoverwhelmingsprung to mind.
“Riley, you wanna shut up for a second?” Brent asked.
He’d never told Riley to shut up before in his life. Not seriously, anyway.
